Many current automobiles are equipped with onboard monitoring systems that are capable of detecting imminent or occurring operational problems (e.g., low tire air pressure, high engine temperature, etc.) For example, various sensors may be disposed within the vehicle and connected to a microprocessor that analyzes data from the sensors. The sensors may include, for example, tire air pressure sensors, fluid level sensors, temperature sensors, etc. The microprocessor is programmed to recognize predetermined patterns of data from the sensors as indicative of the existence of a current problem or the imminent occurrence of an oncoming problem. The microprocessor is also preprogrammed to alert the driver when a problem is recognized. The alert may take the form of an audible and/or visual warning (e.g., warning chime, dashboard indicator light, text message on a video display, voice recording, etc.). Such systems promote safety and provide drivers with a sense of security.
Although such systems alert the driver of a problem, there is often little or no information available to the driver on how to repair (e.g., fix) the identified problem. The hard copy of the vehicle owner's manual usually provides only generic guidance for troubleshooting minor problems, often for a range of types of vehicles. Moreover, if the driver is in traffic or a deserted area, attempting to use the hard copy of the owner's manual (either by reading while driving or by pulling over) may be cumbersome and/or dangerous. Thus, the hard copy of the owner's manual is often of little use at the time that the problem is occurring.
Aftermarket manuals that provide greater detail of troubleshooting and repair procedures than the typical owner's manual are available in the form of books and CD-ROMs. However, these manuals suffer from some of the same drawbacks as the typical owner's manual. That is, consulting a book or a CD-ROM (e.g., via a laptop computer) is often cumbersome and/or dangerous in driving situations in which many problems occur. Moreover, there is typically so much detailed information packed into these manuals, that a driver having little to no mechanical experience often has trouble finding the information that they need to address the current problem. Thus, in either case, a driver that is presented with a problem by the vehicle monitoring system is often left without adequate instruction for addressing the problem.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art to overcome the deficiencies and limitations described hereinabove.